Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder and CEO of Telegram, was detained by French authorities on Saturday night after arriving at Le Bourget Airport in Paris on his private jet. Reports from French media, including TF1 TV and BFM TV, suggest that he was arrested due to an active warrant linked to a preliminary police investigation.
This investigation focuses on Telegram’s alleged failure to moderate content effectively, which authorities claim has facilitated criminal activities on the platform. With over 900 million active users, Telegram’s strong encryption and commitment to user privacy have made it a go-to app for secure communications among activists, journalists, and dissidents—especially in regions like Russia and Ukraine. However, these same features have attracted criticism from governments who argue that the platform can be misused by criminal organizations.
Durov’s rise in the tech world is as fascinating as it is controversial. Originally from Russia, he first made a name for himself by founding VK, often dubbed the “Russian Facebook.” However, his refusal to close down opposition groups on VK led to his departure from Russia in 2014. Currently based in Dubai, Durov holds dual citizenship in the UAE and France.
His confrontations with authorities over free speech and privacy have been a consistent thread throughout his career. In a recent interview with Tucker Carlson, Durov shared that he’s faced pressure not only from Russia but also from U.S. government officials. He alleged that the FBI attempted to create a “backdoor” for surveillance within Telegram, approaching one of his engineers with requests to incorporate certain tools into the app’s code.
Durov also mentioned uncomfortable encounters with FBI agents, including their unannounced visits. He recounted receiving conflicting letters from Congress after the January 6 Capitol riots—one demanding user data related to the riots, and another cautioning against sharing such information. Durov stated that due to the convoluted nature of U.S. politics, Telegram opted to disregard both requests.
The timing of Durov’s detention holds significant implications, especially as many nations seek ways to regulate social media platforms. The EU has recently rolled out the Digital Services Act, imposing stricter requirements on large tech firms to manage illegal content submitted on their sites. France is at the forefront of these efforts to hold tech companies accountable.
As news of Durov’s detention circulates, Telegram users worldwide are keenly observing how this situation will evolve, given the platform’s vital role as a communication tool for many.